Maintaining excellent relationships with clients should be a top priority for anyone who provides services; sadly, some ignore the basics. Here is my top five list of “what not to do”:

1. Learn on the client’s dime.
   Don’t be shy to take on a project even if you are not sure that you have the skills and experience to do it; particularly if you are on a per diem or hourly arrangement. After all, whatever you learn while you are on the clock for this client, you’ll know for your next project.
2. Blame the client.
   This is particularly effective when you have failed to estimate project costs appropriately. Tell the client that you can’t be responsible for “scope creep”; not only will you get paid for you but you didn’t know (see #1), but you will introduce guilt into the dynamic.
3. Don’t deliver on time.
   Deadlines are made to be compromised. Your client won’t mind a little slippage here and there; he/she will understand that you are busy.
4. Share your problems with your client.
   Be open about the fact that you have personal problems, technological problems, competing projects etc. Your client, a nice person, will surely understand and make allowances given your troubles.
5. Let your client know you don’t trust him/her.
   Insist on being paid regardless of your failures. Don’t try to rectify the damage you’ve done, trusting that the client will abide by your agreement. Stop work if the client withholds payment; it’ll probably cost your client a lot of time and added expense to hire someone else to finish up what you failed to deliver.

Of course there are more obvious ways to damage a client relationship — for example, not responding in a timely manner to the client’s questions. Rest assured, however, adding these to the mix will ensure you will never get more business or referrals from this client. So keep up your marketing efforts!

TAGS: entrepeneurs, fixing mistakes, growing your business